Blueberries
by Everlasting Glory
Summary: Peeta gets sick after getting a terrible, nasty cut in his leg and while the new revision is made, Katniss feels responsible to help him to stay alive. What will happen when Peeta actually refuses for the salvage? Cave scene. Katniss/Peeta


**Author's note**: Hey, as you may or may not know, I'm quite new to this fandom, I have been reading some of the Hunger Games fanfics lately, and I found them really interesting and enjoyable to read. Therefore I was eager to try and write some of myself. This is awfully short, I admit, but since it's my first THG fanfic here, I thought I should start from small. This is kinda my rendition of one of the cave scenes.

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I don't own the Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins does though.

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><p><strong>Blueberries<strong>

Small crystal beads of rain dripped above the treetops from the stormy, gray skies and gradually fell onto the sharp edges of the stone cave. The steady, incessant _drip-drop_ sound, caused by the chill rain bounced and echoed against the hard walls of cold, dreary cave where Katniss and Peeta had sheltered in for now – for safe.

"Peeta, take and eat these berries," Katniss said as she ushered a fistful of bright blueberries to him, but for her surprise he refused to take them, shaking his head rather vigorously.

"I don't want any of them," he simply replied, flailing towards the berries that Katniss was holding. Not only he had lost his appetite, he had had enough of enduring. Besides, the deep blue shell of a berry didn't look specifically tempting, and the core of the berry reminded him of blood and flesh.

Katniss looked at Peeta with a quite flabbergasted expression. "You have to eat something or otherwise, you'll _die_ – you will die of starvation if you don't eat these now," she said adamantly, scowling as she tried to reason with him.

"Then I'll die," he answered briskly with a stern, serious tone in his voice.

"For God's sake Peeta, you won't die!" she practically yelled, "Be more reasonable. Did I bring you here for nothing? Did I patch your leg for nothing? Did I come to search you for _nothing_?" she spat furiously, emphasizing the last words.

Soon enough, a sharp, painful wave washed over her and she regretted of what she had said to him, but it was too late for her to take the words back to herself.

"I didn't ask you to save me," Peeta finally responded, his voice laced with hurt and insult.

Clenching her fists, Katniss inhaled deeply through her nostrils to calm herself down. She felt the salty tears gather to her silver-tinted gray eyes, but she refused to cry, she refused to give the satisfaction of hearing her cries to the people of Capitol. She was wrapped around her chaotic swirl of thoughts and emotions that she didn't know what to think or feel. For the first time in her life she felt the utter confusion clog up her mind.

Peeta may not have been strongest, nor the bravest, but he wasn't stupid: he knew she was frazzled and that her real intentions were good. Heck, he didn't even expect her to come and search him up in the first place. She could had just finished him off if she had wanted.

Yes – _If_ she had wanted.

"Look, I didn't mean to yell at you, I–"

"I know, Katniss," Peeta said, cutting her off gently as he grabbed her tiny wrist, kissing her cold, white knuckles softly, "I know Katniss, I know," he said soothingly as a small, sympathetic smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

But then he heaved a long, painful sigh, his gaze deliberately dropping to the floor of nature, "But the thing is that, there is no reason for me to live."

"Everyone has a cause for living, Peeta," Katniss said, as she looked straight into his pale aquamarine blue eyes, "You know, I wouldn't be here now if you hadn't saved me that day," she told him with a concerned look on her face. Peeta threw her a questioned look, and she smiled a little and answered to his question with only two words.

"The bread."

Floods of old memories began to come back; she remembered that cold rainy day when she and her family were left with no food, and yet no one had bothered to help them, no one but the warm-hearted boy, Peeta who barely even knew her. She still remembered that day like yesterday, when he had come to her rescue, offering her the burned loaves of bread that probably weren't sellable, but edible and life saving at least.

As a nostalgic moment of silence had passed, Katniss spoke again, "Peeta, if you don't feel like having a cause for living, then live.. live for me," she said mumbling the last few words. "Please?"

He let out another sigh. "Fine." He grumbled defeated, though he didn't sound one bit angry or frustrated. "But in one condition," he added quickly.

"Anything," she blurted out hastily before measuring the value of her wording.

"You have to kiss me."

Katniss was shocked at first, her mouth gaping slightly, but then she remembered that they were watched; every single movement and action were televised and they were the ultimate couple of the show, meaning they had to maintain their status as a love-couple if they wanted to get the sympathy and sponsors from the Capitol's people and survive through the heinous fate.

Thus, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his, and felt her body going through another shock - it was unexpected, but pleasant. It was a light feathery kiss that sent chills down her spine and made her heart rate escalate. For the first time in her life she felt different, she felt truly alive and complete. It was too quick for his liking, but it was enough for him to feel the satisfaction. He took the berries out of her hand and without hesitating he thrust them into his mouth.

After swallowing the blueberries, he muttered, "I actually kinda like these berries."

She nodded, her lips parted but nothing came out, she still felt a little dizzy after that kiss that had blown her mind – not that she would ever admit that out loud. Taking this as a sign of fatigue, Peeta spoke before she could.

"Katniss, I think you should go to sleep, I'll keep watch," he said.

"It's alright, I'm fine," Katniss said swiftly. "You look much worse, I think you should go to sleep first. I can keep watch."

Peeta gave in, knowing she was stubborn enough to win the argument. "Fine, but don't hesitate to wake me up when you feel tired, although you look pretty frazzled by now. Are you _completely_ sure you don't want to sleep?"

"I'm _completely_ sure about that, Peeta. Now go and sleep."

He shrugged and took out a sleeping bag, "As you wish_." _Katniss watched as he slided into the sleeping bag, and almost immediately drifted off to sleep.

She gave a slight shiver as a crisp, bone-chilling breeze blew out. She looked over at Peeta's peaceful, limp body and a small smile cracked her face, softening her features. Things were going as she had wished so far, but her mission wasn't completed, yet though.

"I promise," Katniss whispered, vaguely caressing her ruffled blond hair, "I'll keep us both save and alive no matter what it takes."

_I promise._

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><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> What did you think about it? Did you like it, or hate it? Either way, I'd love to know, and reviews are always warmly welcome and highly appreciated.

Eve


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